For the last few years, I have been on a low dose blood pressure lowering medication. My dad had high blood pressure, so I wasn't surprised when I, too, was diagnosed. Monitoring blood pressure is simple. Whenever I think about it, I use the home BP monitoring device I bought at Walgreens which precisely measures my BP and heart rate. I write down the results on a table my internist gave me and once a year, he looks at it and makes dosing adjustments, if necessary. Unlike BP medications, it's not possible to know if chemotherapeutic agents are working without periodic imaging studies, such as CT scans, which can't be done at home. I go to the hospital and from the time I check-in until I walk out, it's a 2-hour appointment. I start getting nervous a few days before the tests until I hear the results. The way it works is that we cancer patients dutifully get chemotherapy, either by IV infusion or, as in my case, orally for several weeks or a few months. ...
I did my best to present Part 3 as concisely as possible. I am aware that my family and friends, who have been incredibly supportive to me, may be approaching the point of "Luna Fatigue". As exhausting as my health complications have been to me, I see that supporting my recovery is taxing to them, too. Our Conversation with Dr. R., (my first surgeon) : -Several days after my second, reconstructive, surgery, Dr. R. came to my hospital room. It was around 7pm and Wynn was with me. We had looked forward to meeting with him. -One of the reasons I chose Dr. R. as my surgeon was because he has a gentle manner. Although that night he did not say the words, "I'm sorry," his demeanor was that of contrition. Appropriately so. Whatever he said to us that night, it has been enough for me to work toward finding my peace w...
It's nearly impossible for me to believe it's already mid-April of 2016! Since January, life has been a whirlwind of good and not-so-good things. I've come to realize that whether it's good times or bad times, being busy is being busy. Time escapes me. Today has been a good...no...let me start again...Today has been a GREAT day, so I'm not going to whine about anything. Springtime in Chicago is unpredictable - sunny and warm or cold and snowy, in the same day. This spring has been predictably unpredictable, but today in Chicago was beautiful . Although it was a little windy on Michigan Avenue, it was sunny and the temperature was around 50 degrees. I got to do one of my favorite things today. Wynn and I took our day off and made our way to the Art Institute to see a special exhibit: Van Gogh's Bedrooms http://www.artic.e...
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